


Ringing Out

by WastingYourGum



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2013-10-15
Packaged: 2017-12-29 12:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WastingYourGum/pseuds/WastingYourGum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock is almost ready to return to London and rejoin the world of the living... He just hopes his friends will see him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ringing Out

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick thing that wanted out of my head... Not beta'd so please feel free to offer any concrit, I genuinely welcome it.

* **ring** *...

* **ring** *...

* **click** *

"Hello?"

Sherlock found an unexpected lump in his throat. He cleared it before speaking. "Lestrade…"

"... OK - whoever this is - I'm going to _fucking_ find you and--"

"Lestrade, it's me. It's really me."

" _Christ_ … No, no it can't be. You're dead. You died."

"I'll prove it. Ask me anything."

"Umm… crap, my mind's gone blank."

"Well at least I know it's definitely you."

"Very funny. OK - what colour pants was I wearing the day we caught Jason Markham?"

"And we took that unexpected swim? Red boxer shorts with the Arsenal logo."

"Fuck - it _is_ you!"

"I'm sorry to contact you like this but--"

"Did you just apologise? I'm suddenly unconvinced again."

" _Lestrade_."

"Alright, go on. Wait - holy... Does _John_ know?"

"No - and he can't. I'm almost ready to come back but I need some help arranging some things in London and I can't let John know yet. It would put him in too much danger."

"And I'm Mr Expendable? Cheers for that."

"No, but I don't think you're being watched.."

"Watched?"

"Far too complicated to explain right now. I'll be in touch again in a few days."

"OK - Sherlock?"

"Yes?"

"I'll see you soon."

* **click** *

Sherlock smiled. He'd been terrified Lestrade would refuse to believe him - or worse, believe him and then refuse to help.

God, he was so tired. He ached all over. That last night in Madrid had almost killed him. He still had no idea how he'd managed to get out of that building after the explosion.

He was so close to being able to go home. For months his fear had been that he wouldn't make it - now it was that he would, but the people that made home _home_ wouldn't want to see him.

He shouldn't have worried. He'd always been able to rely on Lestrade - and he could _hear_ the grin in that last sentence.

_I'll see you soon..._

He smiled again.

Yes, you all will.

* * *

 

* **ring** *...

* **ring** *...

* **click** *

"D.I Lestrade speaking."

"It's me."

"Are you alright? You said a few days."

Sherlock frowned. He'd had trouble keeping track of time since Madrid. He'd put it down to a mild concussion. "Has it been longer than that?"

"No, well - I don't know. Anyway - are you OK?"

I'm sore. I'm tired. I miss feeling safe.

"I'm fine. You haven't told anyone you spoke to me, have you?"

"Do me a favour! 'Course not! What would I say anyway? Yeah, just been having a quick chat with a dead bloke?"

"Listen, I need you to keep an eye on John for me."

"An unofficial one, I'm guessing."

"Yes, he needs to stay unaware - and see if you can spot anyone else shadowing him."

"Can do. Anything else?"

"No, that's… that's it for now. I'm nearly finished. I should be back in London within the next week."

"Great - I'll see you soon."

* **click** *

He couldn't risk it himself. Not because he might be seen - he'd spent years now flitting about most of the major cities of the world like a shadow, avoiding any and all attention - but because he knew he'd never be able to see John in the flesh and not just go straight up to him.

But soon...

John would see him soon…

He had to...

* * *

 

John walked right past him and into the kitchen.

For one agonizing moment Sherlock thought it was deliberate or that he'd become the ghost he'd felt like for so long.

Then John turned and the letters he'd been holding fell to the floor.

Sherlock stayed perfectly still as John reached out a trembling hand towards his face.

"Oh God, you're…"

His fingertips landed with the lightest of touches but the warmth of it spread through Sherlock's body like wildfire. He hadn't realised how much he'd missed such simple human contact.

"You're not dead."

"No. And I'm more sorry than I can say for letting you think I was."

"You're not dead." John swept forward and wrapped his arms around Sherlock before proceeding to try and crack some of his ribs.

"John…" Sherlock grimaced as the pain shot up his body and down his arms.

"Sorry, sorry - are you hurt?"

"I… had a rather close call in Spain. It's nothing that won't heal."

"Sit down, take your coat off, let me see."

"I just need to do something first."

Sherlock dipped into his pocket and fished out his phone.

"Who are you calling?" John asked.

"Lestrade - I need to let him know that you know now and it's OK for him to talk about it with you. He's been watching you for me."

"He's...what? Sherlock..."

Sherlock scrolled down his contacts and clicked on Lestrade's name.

"I know, John, I'm sorry I told Lestrade before you but it was just how things worked out and I--"

" _Sherlock_."

Something in John's voice made Sherlock look at him even as he held the phone up to his ear.

"Sherlock, I…" John's face had drained of colour. "Lestrade… _Greg_ died. He…"

Sherlock froze. "What? How?"

* **ring** *...

"He was stabbed in an alley walking home. They never found who did it."

"What do you mean 'never found'? They must have only just started looking! I spoke to him just the other day!"

* **ring** *...

"No, it was... it was last year, Sherlock."

The ringing tone in Sherlock's ear fought against the sudden buzzing in his head and he couldn't catch his breath for some reason.

* **click** *

"Hello?... Sherlock, is that you? What's up?... Doesn't matter - you can tell me later."

Sherlock desperately wanted to move his hand but his body was suddenly made of granite and there was what felt like a sliver of ice piercing his chest.

"I'll see you soon..."

"Sherlock? Sherlock! SHERLOCK! MRS HUDSON! Call an ambulance! Oh God, Oh God, no..."

* **click** *


End file.
